


Otherkin

by Bennyhatter



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Animalistic Tendencies, Characters with animal characteristics, Characters with ears and tails, M/M, Otherkin, Otherkin Carl, Teenage Ron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-28 22:11:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7658707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bennyhatter/pseuds/Bennyhatter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ron is coming home one night, and he finds an Otherkin that looks like it could use some help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Otherkin

**Author's Note:**

> HEY LOOK I'M NOT DEAD.
> 
> Guys. Guys. Between moving, being bumped up to full-time hours at work, and a whole bunch of other stuffs, I have not posted in a long time, and I know it. I'm very sorry for that.
> 
> I am not, however, sorry for this. This is for my dear sparrow, who has been having a rough time, and he needed a reason to smile. Hopefully, this gives him one.
> 
> You're a marvelous piece of the universe, darling, and the world is better for having you in it. <3

The boy is curled into a shivering ball, his ears plastered against his wet hair and his eyes clenched shut tightly. Ron can hear the softest sounds of distress coming from behind the shelter of skinny arms - quiet whines and pitiful mews. His shoulders shake like he's crying, but Ron can't hear the choked off sobs of anguish he's used to when Sam bawls.

 

"You okay, kid?" he asks warily, coming a few steps closer but making sure to stay far enough back just in case the boy is feral. He's come across a few Otherkin before, but all of them were tamed and gentle. This boy is naked but for a pair of ratty shorts, his emaciated body splattered with mud and his dark hair a tangled mess with leaves and t-wigs threaded through.

 

Licking his lips, Ron crouches down slowly and tries again. He purses his lips and makes the kissing sound he uses to draw his aunt's cat's attention, purposefully being loud enough for the creature to notice.

 

The Otherkin's head snaps up, watery blue eyes fixing on Ron with an intensity that makes him freeze. He's never seen eyes like that before, so lost and anguished from things he can't understand or comprehend. It makes something inside of him shift, some hidden piece of him rising its slumbering head with a rumble.

 

Before he realizes what he's doing, he's crooning low in his throat and swaying just a little from side to side. Those hypnotic eyes follow him, wide and wary but still pleading for something he doesn't know how to name. The Otherkin slowly uncurls himself from the tight ball of his limbs, stretching out in long, sinuous lines and crawling forward on hands and knees. His dark ears quiver, his tail curling in twitching movements.

 

"That's it," Ron whispers. He extends a hand slowly, offering the back to the freckled nose and praying he doesn't feel the claws he knows some Otherkin can have. Considering the feline nature of this one, he knows any swipe can and probably will leave him bleeding.

 

When the Otherkin leans forward, Ron holds his breath in anticipation and waits nervously to see what happens. He knows that what he's doing is dangerous, but there's something about those eyes that he just can't shake. They sear through him in a way that isn't at all damning. There's too much hope in a creature that looks like he hasn't had anything to be hopeful about in far, far too long.

 

A nose presses to the back of his hand, and he feels the soft puffs of air as the other boy sniffs him. The Otherkin mews, and it sounds like a question, but it's not one Ron understands.

 

"You out here all alone, little guy?" he asks quietly. The creature mews again and nuzzles against his hand. It's so shocking that Ron tenses for a moment, fully expecting a bite to follow. He's been around plenty of cats before that did this same thing. When the Otherkin's mouth opens and he sees the glint of his small fangs, he starts to back away.

 

Those blue eyes fix on him again, sadness swirling in their depths that makes him pause warily. The boy meows, his head tilting to the side, and his nose presses into the juncture between ribs thumb and index finger. A rough tongue flicks against his palm, the little licks reminding him of a cat grooming itself. As he watches, the Otherkin nuzzles against his fingers and continues to lick him, pulling back to drag his tongue over the back of eons hand.

 

"You're a cute little guy, you know that?" Ron smiles and shakes his head. When the Otherkin reaches his wrist, he twitches and tries to stifle a giggle. "It tickles," he explains when those glowing eyes dart of his face. Something like a smile curls across the Otherkin's lips, and he mews happily. Before he can go back to grooming Ron with his sandpaper-like tongue, he turns his hand to gently scratch beneath the smaller boy's chin.

 

The reaction is instantaneous. The Otherkin stretches out his neck and tilts his head to entice more of the action, a loud, raspy purr rumbling from his throat and his eyes falling closed. Ron smiles wider and gently scratches the surprisingly soft skin, being careful not to press too hard or cause any kind of hurt.

 

"Bet you're a hungry little guy, huh?" he murmurs. There's no doubt the Otherkin is too skinny, and he's in desperate need of a bath. As much as he knows you should never just bring a wolf animal into your home, he can't help but think that this situation is nothing like that.

 

Slowing the petting, he waits for those hazy blue eyes to crack open and fix on his face. The Otherkin whines softly, pressing harder against his hand, and Ron can't help but start again just because of how happy it makes the creature.

 

"You want somethin' to eat, little guy?" The question gets those eyes more focused on him, and he hears the purring kick up a notch as well as feeling the vibrations increase against his hand. "Yeah? That sound to you? You wanna come with me and I'll find you something?"

 

Out of the reactions he was expecting, the one Ron isn't prepared for is the Otherkin climbing into his lap and wrapping his skinny limbs around the bigger teenager. He feels one soft, furry ear twitching against his throat; feels the long, soft tail curling against his legs. He stands up slowly, not wanting to startle the boy too much, but he's apparently got nothing to worry about. All that happens is the Otherkin tucking his cool nose up under the hinge of ribs jaw and sniffing before he sighs sweetly.

 

"My mom is gonna kill me," Ron mutters as he starts walking home. She's never has an issue with Otherkin, but being served by the pretty lynx man down at Denny's and having her son carry home a feral, half-starved kit are two very different things. Even so, as Ron feels the weight of the boy in his arms, and the contented purr as he noses at the teenager's throat, he can't bring himself to feel like this decision is at all a bad thing.

 

It feels like something new and wonderful, instead. And Ron is very, very okay with that.


End file.
